![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Astoria Voyvodship Hospital
Paul walked into the patient's room where Jia was housed, startling Arik's SPS detail somewhat. He didn't get shot, thankfully, thanks to the fact the bodyguards were warned beforehand about important guests coming up.
"Hello! How are you guys doing? It's great to see you...I'm so glad that you're both okay."
He shook hands with Arik and kissed Jia's hand in an old-fashioned way. Jia was becoming increasingly irritated at the downright embarrasing attention everybody showed her - the doctors and nurses were polite, the doctors always said "Ma'am" and were quite considerate. Not normally a bad thing, but she was irritable - Jia felt fine, but they made her stay here anyway.
"I have spoken with the doctors on my way here, and they said they wanted to keep Miss Jia here overnight, to make sure she didn't get an infection during her stay in the jungle. If there's anything I can do, please let me know."
The Emperor has entered the room at this moment with the Empress, with an aide bearing saffron. The pleasant smell has filled the room the moment they entered.
"May I ask...where's Shroom? Wasn't he supposed to be here, too?", the Emperor asked, surprised - but not overly so. The Prime Minister was supremely unpredictable.
Jia pointed them to the TV, where a news segment showed an official Shroomanian limo parked in fron of a candy store.
"The hell?", Arik asked himself upon seeing that. An SPS bodygurd turned up the volume.
"The Prime Minister's motorcade has stopped in fron of the 'Chocolate World' candy store half an hour ago, and the diplomatic aides have been moving chocolates to all vehicles in the convoy - and random civilian cars - ever since. From what we could garner, all armored SUVs, the limo itself and the BOR van following the motorcade are now filled with chocolates of various kinds. The store manager has told us the Prime Minister has bought more than 5000$ worth of various candy."
"Uh...either he's completely lost his mind, or we better make some more room here.", Paul remarked, looking incredulously at the TV screen.
"Oh, by the way, Arik...Rufus is here at the hospital. He'll be here in a moment, since he stopped downstairs to visit my head of protocol, Kamila."